Music-leaf turner



- 1,684,283 W. E. LAHTI MUSIC LEAF TURNER Filed Oct, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Sept. 11, 1928.

( INVENTOR.

- W/u/ofL/v/ w y mdl ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. E. LAHTI MUSIC LEAF TURNER Sept. 11, 1928.

INVENTOR. #0. 5 L v/fi ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

,WILHO E. LAHTI, OF WINDSOR, CALIlIFOR-NIA.

MUSIC-LEAF Tonnes.

Application filed October This invention relates to improvements in means for turning thepagesor leaves of books, i'nusic or the like. i v

The principal object of this invention is to provide means whereby pressure upon a foot pedal will accomplish the turning of a page, thereby eliminating the USC-Oif'lihC hands.

Another object is to produce a device ofthis character which may be employed either upon a stand or upon a musical instrument such as a piano.

A "further object is to produce a device of this character which is: simple in construction and one whcroin'the parts will not be easily disarranged.

A. still further object to produce a device oi? this character which is economical to m anufacture and one which will be easyto transport from place to place. 1

Other objects and advantages will'be apparent during the course of the following description. I

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device tion of the operating arms with respect to the arm gear, p I

Figure S is a top plan view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1-, I i y Figure l is a vertical cross'section taken on the line 4 4: of Figure 3, V y

F igure 5 is an enlarged. detailview showing the manner of securing therac'k to the device,

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing the manner the rack bar operates the floating gear, and

Figure 7 is a side elevationon a reduced scale of my entire device.

lVhen music is being played, either upon a piano or other instrument, it is necessary for the player or an assistant to turn the pages of the sheet music from time to time. This 2 interrupts the player and itis to prevent this disadvantage that I'have perfected my pres ent invention which consists in a mechanical the purpose of illustration is shown a pie 3,1927. Serial No. 223,689.

ferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a box-like structure hav mg a window 6 formed therein. Thisbox-like structure may be positioned. upon a, supportmg base 7 to which legs 8 are secured, or the same may rest directly upon the top of a 1nusi- 7 ca]. instrument such as a piano. 1

Positioned within the box-like structure 5 1s a vertically disposed shaft 9 upon which a floating gear 11 isplaced. This floating gear is adaptedto be actuated back and forth by a rackl2 carried in slideways 13 and let.

A cross-piece "16 serves to anchor one end of a spring 17, the opposite end ofwhichisconnected to a cable 18 which passes over a pulley 19 secured to the box-like structure 5 and has its opposite end secured. to the rack bar 12 as shown at 21.

The opposite end of the rack bar has secured as: at 22 a cable 23 which is passed over a pulley 24- and thence over a pulley 26 secured to thebottom ot the box like structure from which point the cable passes downwardly as shown at 27 and is then secured to a helical spring 28. The opposite end of this spring is connected by a rod 29 to a foot pedal 31 normally retained in elevated position by a spring32. The pedal is preferably pivoted as at 33 to a baseboard 34-.

A stop is shown at 36, which is braced by a. rod 37, the purpose of which stop is to limit the movement otthe rack bar. 12 in one direction, while asimilar stop 38 limits the movement of the rack bar 12 in the opposite di rection. I

Mounted upon the outer surface of the boxlike structure 5 is a shaft 39. Upon this shaft 39 is rotatably positioned arm gears lil, l2, 43 and 44. These arm gears are mutilated in that the teeth extend only substantially onethirdot the distance about the gear, as best shown in Figure 2.

These gears are spaced :1. suitable distance apart and'each carries an arm 46 clips 47 are positioned.

Referring now to Figured, itwill be noted that a plurality of discs 48, 40, 51 and 52 are suitably spaced and joined together by spacer rods 53 and that these discs are mounted upon theshaft 9 to which they are secured as by a screw 5ft. I I

A ratchet is shown at 56, which is also secured. to the shaft 9. This ratchet is adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressed dog upon which 57 carried by the gear 11. The discs 48, 49, 51 and 52 are each provided with teeth as shown at 58, in Figure 1, which teeth extend around a portion of the periphery of each disc.

It will also be noted from figure, that the teeth upon each disc are in staggered relation, the teeth extending substantially onefit'th ot the distance about the disc. The result of this construction is that at one point when viewed from the top as shown in Figure 3, there is siace where no teeth appear. The purpose for this construction will be later seen.

At 59 I have shown a brake which rests upon the upper disc 4:8 and serves to prevent undue moveuent thereof. Secured to the underside oi? the box 5 is a bar 61 which is bent downwardh as shown at 62 and serves to support a music rack of the usual construction which needs no further description.

The manner of operating my device is as follows:-

Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1, and that the music to be played is supported upon the rack in front of the device, the individual pages of the music will be engaged by the clips t? carried on the arms t6. One page being clipped to each arm.

By now pressing upon the pedal 31, a pull will be delivered to the cable 23 thus causing the rack bar 12 co-move toward the left of the drawing. This movement toward the left will actuate the gear 11 and through the dog 57, will actuate the ratchet 56. rotating the shaft 9 and the discs 4.8 to 52, inclusive. As soon as these discs start to rotate the teeth, the first disc 18 will engage the teeth on the arm gear 41 thereby s 'inging the first arm from the position shown in Figure around until the opposite side of the page is visible. As soon as this has been no complished, the teeth on the gear 48 will have cleared the teeth on the arm gear 41 and the release of the pedal will permit the rack to return to its original position through the action of the spring 17 and through the tact that the gear 11 is floating upon the shaft 9, while the brake 59 will prevent retrograde movement of the discs 48 to 52, inclusive.

A second actuation of the pedal will accomplish the same result, with the exception that the teeth upon the disc -19 will engage the teeth of the arm gear 42. The succeeding operations will be identical.

After all of the pages have been turned, a point will be reached where no teeth are in alignment with the arm gears, and consequently the arms may be manually returned to their original position.

Itwill thus be seen that l have provided a very simple means for elfectively turning the leaves of books, music etc. with a minimum amount of effort upon the part ot the operator.

It is to be understood that the term oi my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example oi? the same, and that various changes relative to the shape, size, niaterial and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the suhjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim In a music leaf turner, a hov-like structure, a shaft positioned within said stri-u-ture. a floating gear positioned on said shaft. a ratchet secu red to said shait, a racl; enga ng said floating gear and adapted to at. said gear, a dog carried by said gear and engaging said ratchet, a plurality oi spaced discs secured to said shaft. teeth upon a portion of the periphery of ca said discs, a. second shatt positioned parallel to said first mentioned shatlt, mutilated gears positioned on said second mentioned shaft, and adapted to be eng: ed by the teeth of said first mentioned discs, arms carried by said mutilated gears and means for in -r niittently actuating said rack bar. said means including a tension device secured to ne end of saidrack bar for maintaining said rack bar in its normal position. and a cable extending to a remote point.

In testimony whereof 1 Hill}: my signature.

VVILHO Iii-til ll. 

